World Trade Organization

WASHINGTON: The IMF has said that the WTO decisions on the trade facilitation agreement and public stock holding for food security purposes would provide an opportunity for advancing multilateral trade negotiations in other areas which is essential for global growth. "I strongly welcome the decisions adopted by the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on November 27, related to public stock holding for food security purposes, the Trade...

WASHINGTON: The Obama administration said Wednesday that it is in the early stages of studying claims that Gulf airlines have received market-distorting subsidies, a review involving uncharted territory for the US government. No international trade rules or precedent by the United States exists for addressing airline subsidy claims, presenting a challenge for the administration as it determines how to proceed, a person familiar with the matter said. US...

GENEVA/NEW DELHI: Although there is an impasse at WTO, there is a "widespread positive disposition" to find a permanent solution to the issue of public stock-holding of foodgrains, its Director General Roberto Azevedo said today. The development comes even as India's highest authorities are expected to discuss its stand in the WTO. Earlier, New Delhi had adopted a tough position on the public stock-holding of foodgrains for its food...

NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding the failure of WTO members to reach a consensus on Trade Facilitation Agreement to simplify global customs rules, India today said it remains committed to the pact and will continue to pursue its proposal to find a permanent solution to its food security issues. Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher said the WTO will be on vacation for a month and during this time, India will focus on follow up action. "This is a good enough time to think about our...

GENEVA: India has challenged a WTO panel's ruling that the country's ban on American poultry product imports was inconsistent with global norms. India has appealed to the Dispute Settlement Board of the World Trade Organization (WTO). "WTO Secretariat received ... a notice by India announcing its decision to appeal certain issues of law and legal interpretation in the panel report in the case ....," the WTO has said. A senior government official also said...

NEW DELHI: Competitively priced American frozen chicken legs may take longer to hit the Indian market as the government is set to challenge the World Trade Organization's October order asking it to lift a ban on poultry imports from the US. Simultaneously, the government is brainstorming with stakeholders on ways to protect the growing domestic poultry industry from the inflow of US chicken legs, which are cheaper by about Rs 100 per kg....

WASHINGTON: The Obama administration said Wednesday that it is in the early stages of studying claims that Gulf airlines have received market-distorting subsidies, a review involving uncharted territory for the US government. No international trade rules or precedent by the United States exists for addressing airline subsidy claims, presenting a challenge for the administration as it determines how to proceed, a person familiar with the matter said. US...

PORT LOUIS: India's king of fruits Alphonso mango could soon be available to Mauritians, many of whom have ancestral links with India. The island nation and Indian government have agreed to harmonise norms governing trade of fruits. Commerce and Industry Ministry Anand Sharma had taken up the issue of Mauritius not allowing import of Indian mangoes with his Mauritius counterpart Sayyad Abd-Al-Cader Sayed Hossen during their discussions on trade issues. Anand...

GENEVA: India has challenged a WTO panel's ruling that the country's ban on American poultry product imports was inconsistent with global norms. India has appealed to the Dispute Settlement Board of the World Trade Organization (WTO). "WTO Secretariat received ... a notice by India announcing its decision to appeal certain issues of law and legal interpretation in the panel report in the case ....," the WTO has said. A senior...

NEW DELHI: Opposing "cherry-picking" of issues by developed countries at WTO, India suggested that there should be no dilution of the stalled Doha development agenda. Besides, India has said that a permanent solution on the issue of public stock holding for food security purposes was critical and should be addressed on priority basis by the members of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The issues were discussed by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and WTO ...

Even the diehard optimist did not believe the Bali Ministerial of the World Trade Organization (WTO) would achieve anything. The sceptics said its failure would be a nail in the coffin of multilateral attempts at equitable trade orders, after all in its 12 years the Doha Round had nothing to show. Unexpectedly, Bali did deliver a result. ET deciphers the gains from Bali...

NEW DELHI: Opposing "cherry-picking" of issues by developed countries at WTO, India suggested that there should be no dilution of the stalled Doha development agenda. Besides, India has said that a permanent solution on the issue of public stock holding for food security purposes was critical and should be addressed on priority basis by the members of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The issues were discussed by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and WTO ...

WASHINGTON: The IMF has said that the WTO decisions on the trade facilitation agreement and public stock holding for food security purposes would provide an opportunity for advancing multilateral trade negotiations in other areas which is essential for global growth. "I strongly welcome the decisions adopted by the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on November 27, related to public stock holding for food security purposes, the...

NEW DELHI: India stood vindicated at the World Trade Organization (WTO) after all 160 member countries accommodated its food security demand, resolving over three months of impasse, commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament on Friday regarding the global trade deal signed on the previous night. "I am happy to report to this House that we have been able to secure an outcome that addresses our concerns," the minister said in a...

WASHINGTON: The trade facilitation agreement will make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to do business across borders, a subsidiary organisation of the WTO has said while calling for its speedy implementation. "The TFA will make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to do business across borders. Since SMEs account for the bulk of employment worldwide, lowering the cost of joining value chains should...

NEW DELHI: Terming the WTO agreement on trade reforms and foodgrain stockpiling as "historic", the industry today said the development will give a boost to the world trade. "While the decision on public holding for food security purpose protects the nutritional needs of millions of poor people in developing world, the adoption of protocol on Trade Facilitation will give the much-needed boost to world trade, which witnessed downward trend in post-crisis period," CII said in a statement.

BRUSSELS: World trade fell by 12 per cent last year as the economic crisis caused the biggest drop since 1945, World Trade Organization chief Pascal Lamy said on Wednesday. "World trade was reduced by 12 percent in 2009," Lamy told the European Policy Centre, a Brussels think tank. He said it was the "sharpest decline" since the end of the World War II. The drop was worse than the 10 per cent fall that the WTO had forecast in December.

PARIS: Trade data shows that the world has emerged from the global economic crisis even though the rate of recovery varies from region to region, the head of the World Trade Organization said on Thursday. "If I look at the global trade figures, we're out of the crisis," WTO chief Pascal Lamy said during a debate at a university near Paris. The WTO is expecting growth in global trade of "more than 10 percent in 2010" following a drop...

GENEVA/NEW DELHI: Some members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including Australia , the European Union, Pakistan, have raised questions over India's export subsidy on sugar. Thailand, New Zealand and Colombia have also expressed concerns at the WTO's Committee on Agriculture. "India was asked about its export subsidy programme for sugar, with Australia, Thailand, the EU, Pakistan, New Zealand and Colombia all saying they were concerned at a time when members...

NEW DELHI: The government has slammed World Trade Organization members, who suggested signing an agreement on easier custom rules by a select group of countries and keep the dissenters such as India out of the Bali package. Several countries have in the past proposed that countries such as India be kept out and a plurilateral framework be worked out. On Friday , WTO director general Roberto Azevedo too listed it out as one of the options to break the...